


Tora

by kakairupowns (miharu)



Series: Segments [16]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-01-23
Updated: 2009-01-23
Packaged: 2017-10-18 08:53:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/187134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miharu/pseuds/kakairupowns
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Having a pet has somewhat… hampered their daily lives. Luffy likes it though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tora

Sanji pushed the kitten, recently dubbed Tora by their exuberant captain, off of the countertop so he could prepare for dinner. For some unknown reason, the young cat had attached itself to him and refused to leave him alone. It – sorry, _he_ as Nami-san insisted – seemingly decided that no one on the crew was worthy of his attentions, except Sanji. However, Zoro… Zoro he seemed to tolerate, for some unknown reason. Whenever the swordsman walked into the room, Tora’s eyes were on him instantly, warily regarding him for a few moments before seemingly accepting him and then summarily ignoring him.

Zoro, for his part, could care less about the cat, and ignored him on principle. The only time they ever even acknowledged each other was when Sanji was in the same room. They glared for a few seconds before reaching some sort of unspoken truce, and then ignoring each other again. Though it baffled Sanji, he soon just accepted it as another strange part of life on the Grand Line, and especially of life on this ship.

Tora meowed his protest, but soon calmed when he was only pushed to the edge of the counter instead of entirely onto the floor. Curling into a dark ball, with his tail tucked tightly around his body, he closed his eyes in contentment. His human was busy, as usual, with food preparation and since Tora had already been fed, it was time to nap.

Stirring the pan, Sanji reached over and turned down the heat so it wouldn’t burn. Letting the sauce simmer, he brought water to a boil in another pot, readying the vegetables and spices to go into it. Rolling up his sleeves, he pulled over a cutting board and selected one of his chopping knives. Before too long, there was the rhythmic sound of chopping and slicing and the fragrant scent of stew emanating from the galley.

Suddenly the galley door burst open with a loud ‘bang!’ and ricocheted off of the wall. A blur of black, brown, and yellow flew into the kitchen, a ball of trembling excitement and childish glee.

“Tora-chan!!” Luffy cried happily, running directly over to the disgruntled kitten, dangling something in front of his face. “Tora-chan! Look what I found!”

With a grin almost bigger than his face, Luffy shoved a length of string into Tora’s face, making him flinch backwards and uncurl from his protective ball. Tora stared cross-eyed at the string for a second or two before focusing on it and reaching up one hesitant paw to bat at it. When Luffy began swinging it back and forth, Tora doubled his efforts to snag it, balancing himself on his other three feet as he swung wildly at it.

Luffy burst into laughter, always holding the string just out of reach. Tora pulled his lean body into a sitting position, leaning forward for leverage and began batting the string in earnest. Luffy dragged it across the countertop, and the kitten shot after it like a bolt, a streak of black and white. Giggling madly, their captain ran out of the galley, Tora chasing after him like a bat out of hell.

Sanji listened to the whooping laughter and high pitched giggles from the younger members of the crew out on the deck, a small smile gracing his features. As two tanned arms wound themselves around his waist, his grin grew.

“Good distraction.” He said wryly, acknowledging the other man.

Zoro growled, tightening his hold. “Damn cat.” Nosing into Sanji’s blonde locks, he sighed contentedly and rested his chin on the cook’s shoulder.

“What’s the matter?” Sanji asked, turning his head slightly. “It’s not like he’s competition or anything. No reason to be jealous.” He smirked at Zoro.

When Zoro remained quiet, only grunting his reply, Sanji tested the temperature on the stew, turning it down a little more, and then turned in Zoro’s arms, looking him in the eye. “Zoro.” He prompted, poking the swordsman in the chest.

Zoro kept his eyes down, somewhere between Sanij’s collarbone and the center of his chest. His green eyes flickered to Sanji’s for a second, and then away again.

“Are you _blushing_?” Sanji suddenly asked, astonished. “Seriously?!” A huge grin broke out on his face.

Zoro’s face flushed, and he glared at the blonde. “No!” He denied, even though the red was now even more apparent, even through his tan. “Damn-cook!” He muttered, letting go of the other man and turning to leave.

“Hey, now. C’mon Zoro,” Reaching out, Sanji grabbed him by the wrist. “That’s not what I meant.” A small smile was still visible on the edges of his mouth, but he restrained himself.

Zoro huffed a small breath, before replying. “It’s just… creepy, y’know?” Casting a glance at the other man, he continued. “I mean, it’s weird to do anything. With him in the room. It’s like he’s… watching, or something. It’s just weird.”

Sanji manfully held in his snort, covering his mouth with his free hand. Voyeuristic kitten? Only Zoro. “Zoro, he’s just a cat.”

Another glare. “I _know_ that, aho! Geez…” Zoro tugged his wrist free and headed to the deck again, muttering under his breath.

“ _Zo_ ro,” Exasperated, the cook reached out and tugged Zoro back by the shoulders, pulling him until they were face to face before resting their foreheads together. Breathing in the other man’s scent, he closed his eyes and pulled him even closer, practically melting when Zoro wrapped his arms around him in return.

“He’s just. A cat.” Sanji smiled into his lover’s neck. Lifting his head up, he looked Zoro in the eye. “Granted, he’s pretty cute, but he’s a kitten. It’s practically a requirement.” When a slow grin crossed Zoro’s features, Sanji cheered inside. Sometimes, getting a stubborn Zoro to see logic was like pulling teeth, but it seemed the swordsman was easily swayed today.

Twining his arms up around Zoro’s neck, Sanji pulled the other man into a kiss, running his fingers through short green hair. As he pulled away, he was rewarded with one of Zoro’s happy smiles, the kind that showed he was truly happy, and not pretending. Sanji’s heart swelled, and he ran his arms down his lover’s chest and pushed him away from the counter.

Looking slightly confused, Zoro backed off. The cook turned back to the stove and cranked the heat low enough to keep the stew warm, but not burn it, regardless of how long it went unwatched.

“Now, it seems that we have some free time,” Grinning, Sanji spun back toward Zoro. “What do you suggest we do with it?”

Zoro’s answering smirk was pure sex as he pulled a laughing Sanji down the hall to their room, and some well deserved down time.


End file.
